Top comb system



Oct. 29, 1946. F. L. cRocKETT TOP COMB SYSTEM v original Filed oct. 2, 1940 s sheets-sheet 1 Jn veni'or J W24/wf L wmf/*7 Oct. 29, 1946. l l. F. l.. cRocKETT 2,410,150

- TOP COMB SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1946. F. L; cRocKETT y' I TOP coMB SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 original Filed oct. 2, 1940 Patented Oct. 29, 1946 TOP COMB SYSTEM Frank L. Crockett, Tenants Harbor, Maine, as-

signor to Whitn Machine Works, Whitnsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Original application October 2, 1940, Serial No. 359,385, now Patent No. 2,353,812, dated July 18, 1944. Divided and this application August 13, 1942, Serial No. 454,749

11 Claims. 1

The invention relates to Heilmann type combers, being a division of my application, Serial No. 359,385, filed October 2, 1940, Patent No. 2,353,812 to which reference may be had for any matter herein shown but not described.

The object of the present invention is to irnprove the supporting and control means, the operation and the convenience of use of the top combs in combers of the kind referred to.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a, general cross-section through a comber to which the invention is applied; Fig. 2 a front elevation of one of the combing heads thereof; Fig. 3 a cross section of Fig. 2 in a plane adjacent to one of the top comb arms, showing the top comb in section; and Fig. 4 is a top plan of Fig. 2 showing also parts of the drive head.

It will be understood that in such a comber there are ordinarily several combing heads of which the operating parts are driven from the drive-head, at the end of the machine, by means of longitudinal shafts extending through al1 of the combing heads, and journalled on vertical frame uprights l located between the heads. One of these shafts operates the top comb system of this invention.

The dotted circle at the top of Fig. 1 represents a roll of cotton lap to be combed although the invention is not limited to cotton. This roll is supported on Creel-rollers 2 and 3 appropriately driven so as to unwind the lap and deliver it over the lap plate 4 to the nipper feed roller 5 carried on the swinging nipper frame 25. The Creel-rollers are carried respectively on through shafts 6 and 1, and driven step-by-step from the drive-head. By the feed roller 5 the lap is delivered to the nipper jaws v8 and 9 of which the lower jaw, or cushion plate, is fixed on the nipper frame which is mounted or hung so as to be movable toward and from the detaching mechanism. The other jaw, or nipper knife 9, opens to receive the lap fed by roller 5 and then closes upon it and nips it, holding the projecting end thereof in the path of the -comb teeth on the comb cylinder I0 whereby the forward ends of the lap fibers are combed. After such forward ends have been thus cylinder-combed, the nipper jaws 8 and 9 moving forwardly, deliver the terminal tuft of combed fibers to the detaching mechanism, opening at the same time, so that the tuft may be drawn away from the body of the lap.

The detaching mechanism includes a pair of back rollers Il and I2 which seize the front ends of the comber fibers presented to them by the nippers, and by their forward rotation separate 2 the tuft from the lap still held by the feed roller 5 and pull it through the teeth of the top comb I3 which has been lowered for that purpose. The top-comb combs the tail ends of the fibers constituting the tuft as they are drawn forward by the detaching rollers.

The detaching rollers receive the front end of the tuft on top of the tail end of the preceding tuft, with an appropriate overlap, thus pecing the tufts together to form a continuous fleece composed of a succession of imbricated tufts. For this purpose the rollers are given an alternate forward and backward rotation, referred to as the pecing motion. In their forward motion they detach the tuft, as just stated and in their backward motion they return and expose a considerable length of the rear ends of the fibers in position to be overlapped by the next-arriving tuft. Ordinarily, also the axis of the top roll Il is traversed forwardly and backwardly over the top of the bottom roll l2, in synchronism with the intermittent rotation, so as to facilitate the overlapping process. Its two extreme positions are indicated in the drawings.

The top comb system, shown best in Fig. 3, is automatically advanced and retracted with the nipper mechanism but with a different motion and through a different path. The comb proper I3 may be of usual construction but according to this invention is mounted in a subframe 6I having at each end a stud 62 adapted to travel in and be guided by a specially curved slot 63 formed in the front part of a top comb arm 64. The subframe 6l is also link-connected to a rearward pivot 66 on each top comb arm 64 by a link 65, the arrangement being such that the subframe and its top comb can be lifted and turned with respect to the arms and without lifting the latter, to the position indicated indotted lines in which the comb points forwardly and rests in a position where it can be easily inspected and cleaned. In this position the studs 62 rest in notches 63a at the tops of slots B3. The comb is quickly replaceable to its working position in which the subframe rests by its studs 62 in the bottoms of the slots 63.

Each top comb arm is pivotally supported at the rear of the comber in the end of an upstanding crank arm 66a of the longitudinal top comb wag shaft 61, and each top comb arm has a track 68 by which it rests on a top comb roller 69, the latter being mounted in a fixed position on an appropriate adjustable bracket l0 on the part 4| carried on the adjacent frame work. The rollers 69 determine the position of the top comb arms and top comb. As the top comb wag shaft 61 oscillates, the top comb receives a corresponding to and fro motion in the direction prescribed by the slope of the roller track 58, which is slight but sufcient to let the top comb descend, in its forward position, well into the tuft being drawn off by the detaching rolls. The to and fro motion given to the comb causes it to follow close behind the top detaching roller as the latter makes its forward traverse (to assume its dotted line position). The top comb is shown in its high, position in Fig. 1, the nipper jaws beingl still closed. This movement of the top comb is customary but is commonly imparted to it, in this type of comber, by the nipper frame itselfv or by connection to the detaching roll, whereas in the present case it is imparted to it by the wag shaft such as 51, at the rear of the comber and driven from the drive end of the comber.

It is sometimes desirable to impart a quick downward movement to the top comb so as to promote a positive penetration of itsv teeth into heavy lap. This quick drop is afforded in the present case by supplementary tracks`A adapted to engage the same rollersg. Each of these tracks is in the form of a latch member, marked 1|, adjustably pivoted at 10a to a top comb arm and extended downwardly adjacent to the track 58 to be engaged by the roller 69. Each latch is held -against swinging on its pivot in the forward stroke ofthe arm, by an adjustable stop 12, and the several parts are so arranged that on such forwardstroke, the latch mounts and rides on .the roller 62 until it drops .abruptly off of its front side, thus giving the quick drop-to the comb i3. Onthe return movement, the latch swings on its pivot dragging over the roller so 'that the top comb rests on tracks 58 and recedes in a path lower than that in which it advanced, combing the tail of the tuft at the same time, thus receiving a two-way motion for effectively combing .the bers.

Thus in thepresent case two tracks are provided at each side, one 5B; to give a substantially straight line path and the other, 1|, to give a high forward/path and-a low return. By'turning each swinging track, 1|, to an upright position it is of course rendered inoperative. Each track latch 1|, is pivoted at 10a on a plate 1lb which is adjustablexon the top comb arm. The adjustment shown comprises in addition to the clamp boltv 1|c, three radially disposedv bolts, screwedinto the clamp plateas a hub, and bearing by. their heads upon the edge of an aperture formed in the top .comb arm. While other methl l ods of adjustment of 'ma couldbe provided, this method is extremely delicate and at the same time permanent in its setting. It provides for adjustment in all directions as will be apparent. It will be observed also that the whole top comb structure can be swung completely out of the combing head by turning the arms over and back on the pivots of the cranks 55e, this beinga special virtue of the rearwardly located hinge support of -the arms.

The drive of the top comb wag' shaft 61 is indicatedin Fig, e as taken from the nipper wag shaft Silthrough a pair of segmental gears 13 and 14, but so far as this invention isV concerned the means of driving it is of no consequence.

The principal parts of the combing machine in which the present invention is illustrated, but which are not directly related thereto, include the following: The drive-head mechanism comprising the gears |23, |522 91, 9S, |05, |05, |08,

|59, H0, |20, |2I, |22, |25, |26, |21 and |28; the creel system comprising the parts 33, 34, 44, 45, 45 and 49 the nipper system comprising the parts 25, 2s, 21, 2s, 29, 3i, 32, 35, 31, 3a, 39, 4o, 41,42, 54, 55, 55, 51 and 58; the scavenging system comprising the parts 2|, 22 and 23; the detaching and piecing system comprising the parts I4, l5, I6, 15, 1B, 11, 18, 19, 82, 83, 84, 85, 81, 81a, 88, 89, 95, 90a, 5|, 92, ||3, H35, H4, ||5 and H9, and the delivery system comprising the parts |1, I8, I9, 20, 93, 94 95 and 96.

I claim:

1. In a comber, a pair of top comb arms, a top comb subframe, links connecting it to said arms, stud-and-slot connections between said subframe and arms to guide the link-permitted movement of Said subframe with respect to said arms, a top comb xed to said subframe and means for oscillating said arms.

2. A top comb system comprising a top combsupporting arm, an oscillating support therefor, another support therefor including a fixed top comb supporting stud, a track on thev arm riding on said stud in the rearward stroke and a supplementary track on the arm riding on said stud in the forward stroke and adapted tol fall off of it at the end of such stroke.

3. In a .comber having a comb cylinder, a rear support located behind the cylinder, top comb arms hinged to said support land extending forwardly therefrom, means intermediate said support and the front of said arms for determining the position of the .top comb with relation to the tuft, a subframe-supported on the front ends of said arms,`links connecting said subframe to the arms and stud and slot means between saidY subframe and arms prescribing the path of move ment therefor when swinging on said links.

4. In a comber-a pair of top comb-arms, a top comb subframe, links connecting said subframe to the arms, stud-and-slot connections between said subframe and arms toguide the link-permitted movement of saidv subframe with respect to said arms and atop comb fixed tosaid subframe.

5. The combination in a comber having a swinging nipper system cooperating witha comb cylinder-and detaching motion, ofy a pair of top comb arms having a top comb mounted for manual movement on the forward ends thereof, said top comb arms being pivotally supported on the machine independently of, and in rear of, said nipper system andextendingfforwardly above the same whereby they can be swung upwardsand backwards relatively thereto, and being supported also on xed means between their pivotal rear support and said top comb.

6. The combination in a comber, of its fibersupply creel, nipper system, combcylinder, and detaching mechanism, with a pair of top comb arms pivotally supported in rear of all said parts and extending forwardly over said creel and nipper system and capable of being swung on their pivotal axis upwards and backwards relatively thereto, a top comb, means for movably mounting saidtop comb on the forward ends of said arms, said means normally permitting the topcomb to be turned thereon to a forwardpointing position and a member Xedly mounted on the machine frame constituting an intermediate support for said top comb arms.

7. The. combination in a comber having a swinging nipper system cooperating with a comb cylinder and detaching motion, of a topV comb mounted onthe forward ends of a pair of top comb arms, said arms having pivotal support on the machine independently of, and in rear of said swinging nipper system and extending forwardly over the same, and having intermediate supporting and guiding means, and means also independent of said nipper system for imparting to-and-fro motion to said top comb arms relatively to said supporting and guiding means. 8. The combination of claim 7 yin which said supporting and guiding means comprise altermately-operating track members organized to guide the top comb through a high path of-movement on its forward stroke and a lower path on its rearward stroke.

9. A top comb system for combers comprising a top comb, a pair of comb-supporting arms having the top comb located at their forward eX- tremities, a hinge supporting the rear end of each arm, means for oscillating the hinge to impart to-and-fro motion to the arms and an additional support for each arm located intermediate of said hinge and top comb and comprising two engaging structures, one of which is located on the machine frameand the other on the top comb arm, one of said structures comprising a stud member and the other comprising a track member to engage said stud member on the forward movement of the arm and a track member to engage said stud member on the backward movement of the arm so as to prescribe diierent paths for the forward and rearward strokes of the top comb.

10. The top comb system as dened in claim 9 in which said two track members are located onthe top comb arm and the stud member is fixed on the machine frame.

11. The top comb system as dened in claim 9 having means for holding one of said track members out of operation.

FRANK L. CROCKETT. 

